How to Move From Android to iPhone Without Losing Your Photos or Texts

Switching platforms sounds scary, but Apple has built a proper migration tool for it. The key is timing: Move to iOS only works during the iPhone’s first setup. These steps follow Apple’s support documentation for current iPhones. If you’re going the other way, see our guide to setting up a new Android phone, including switching from iPhone.

Before you move from Android to iPhone

Five minutes of prep avoids most failed transfers. Apple’s checklist, plus a few sensible extras:

• Install Move to iOS from the Google Play Store on your Android phone. Apple’s iPhone guide says it works on Android 4.0 or later.
• Turn on Wi-Fi on the Android phone.
• Plug both phones into power. Apple also says a USB-C cable between the two phones gives a faster transfer.
• Check the new iPhone has room for everything, including photos and files on a microSD card.
• Update Chrome on the Android phone if you want your bookmarks.
• Update WhatsApp on Android if you want your chats to come across.
• Back up the Android phone to your Google account, just in case.

Step-by-step: use the Move to iOS app

1. Turn on the new iPhone and follow the setup screens. When asked about another device, tap Set Up Without Another Device.
2. On the Transfer Your Apps & Data screen, tap From Android, then Transfer with App.
3. On the Android phone, open Move to iOS and accept the terms. Choose Automatically Send or Don’t Send for app usage data.
4. Wait for a ten-digit or six-digit code to appear on the iPhone, then type it into the Android phone.
5. The iPhone creates a temporary Wi-Fi network. Join it from the Android phone when prompted.
6. On the Transfer Data screen on Android, select what you want to move and continue.
7. Leave both phones alone until the progress bar on the iPhone finishes, even if Android says it’s done first.
8. Tap Done on the Android phone, then finish setting up the iPhone.

What transfers and what doesn’t

Apple’s page also lists files and folders, accessibility settings and display settings among the items that move. After the transfer, you can download any free apps that were matched in the App Store. Anything paid, and any app that doesn’t exist on iPhone, needs a fresh install or an alternative.

Two-factor codes and passwords

Authenticator apps are the item most people lose in a switch. Before you wipe the Android phone, open each authenticator and use its own export or transfer feature, or sign in to each account and re-link the new iPhone. While you’re at it, consider setting up passkeys, which sync through your Apple Account.

Move your phone number and eSIM

Your phone number is separate from your data. If you use a physical SIM card and your iPhone has a SIM tray, you can move the card. If your iPhone uses eSIM, you’ll transfer the number instead.

Apple supports an eSIM transfer from Android with participating carriers. In the US, Apple’s list includes AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Cricket, FirstNet and Xfinity Mobile. It needs an iPhone 11 or later on iOS 26 or later, an Android phone on Android 16 or later, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both phones.

1. On the iPhone, open Settings → Set Up Cellular and tap Transfer from Android. If you already have another line, go to Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → Transfer from Android.
2. Tap Transfer From Android to show a QR code, then scan it with the Android phone’s camera.
3. Choose the number to move and tap Transfer.
4. If the QR code won’t scan, Apple describes an Other Options route that uses a pairing code entered on Android under Settings → Google services → All services → Pair with iPhone or iPad → Transfer eSIM. Menu names can differ slightly by phone maker.

If your carrier or phone doesn’t support this, Apple says to contact the carrier to activate your eSIM.

After you switch: settings to change

• Texts from Android friends: group chats with Android users may look different. Make sure your number is activated in Messages once your eSIM works.
• Spam filtering: iPhone has its own unknown caller and spam settings. See how to block spam calls.
• Google apps: install Gmail, Google Photos or Google Maps from the App Store if you rely on them, and sign in with your Google account.
• Photos left in Google Photos: anything that was only in the cloud, not on the phone, stays there. Install Google Photos to see it.

If the transfer doesn’t work

Apple suggests these fixes when Move to iOS stalls or fails:

• Leave both phones alone until the transfer finishes. Keep Move to iOS on screen on Android.
• On Android, turn off apps or settings that switch Wi-Fi networks, such as Smart Network Switch, and turn off cellular data during the transfer.
• Restart both phones and try again.
• If the iPhone runs out of space, erase it and restart the transfer with less content selected.
• If you already finished setup, use the erase option in Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone, then start over. Only do this on a new iPhone with nothing you need on it.

More switching and setup help lives in our iPhone section.

Related guide: How to Set Up a New iPhone the Right Way (Step-by-Step Checklist).

FAQ

Sources

• Move from Android to iPhone or iPad (Apple Support)
• Transfer your eSIM from Android to iPhone (Apple Support)
• Turn on and set up iPhone (iPhone User Guide, Apple Support)